Esmee Fairbairn Foundation - Main Fund

The Main Fund is responsive to requests for support across the broad range of their interests, which are: the arts, education and learning, the natural environment and enabling disadvantaged people to participate more fully in society.

Funding so widely creates a lot of competition. In 2010 they received around 2900 eligible applications to the Main Fund and made 270 grants totalling £21.4m. The average grant size was £79,000.

To ensure that they can respond to so many requests, the application process is in two stages. They will acknowledge receipt of your first stage application within a week of receiving it and email you within a month to say whether they would like to take it to a second stage or decline to support it. If they invite you to proceed to the second stage, they may ask you for additional information in order to clarify and expand on what you have already told them. Further details on types of projects funded and exclusions are available from the website.

Application Form: Apply in writing with an outline proposal. Guidance is available to download from the website.